Authors

Title

Cardinal Pell celebrates Mass at Notre Dame Sydney

Document Type

Media Release

Publication Date

Spring 10-12-2007

Publisher Name

The University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney

Publication Place

Sydney

Abstract

The Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell, celebrated Mass at Notre Dame’s Sydney Campus today. Nearly 100 members of the Notre Dame and St Benedict’s Parish communities were in attendance. Cardinal Pell’s homily stressed the importance of developing a mature faith that sees prayer as not only an opportunity to ask for help when in trouble, but also as an opportunity to pray for gratitude and to ask forgiveness. “After all, faith is at the centre of what we are about,” Cardinal Pell said. “Christ came to give us answers and came to call us to follow him, to repent and believe.”

Following the Mass, Cardinal Pell was able to spend some time enjoying a barbecue lunch with Notre Dame staff and students. He said, “I always look forward to my visits to Notre Dame and hope they offer a sign of encouragement to staff and students. Over the past couple of years I have been able to get to know more and more students and staff and hope to meet more in the future. I am particularly pleased to hear that Notre Dame has formed its own World Youth Day group in preparation for next year.”

Primary education student, Bruce Sinclair, was grateful for the opportunity to meet Cardinal Pell. “He’s very personable and approachable. I liked the end of his homily where he talked about the faithful needing to embrace and accept Christ’s call. This is everyone’s vocation and it is great to see it proclaimed so boldly.”

Anna Maka, who is studying secondary education, also took much away from Cardinal Pell’s homily. “The part about faith ‘being more than just praying for favours’ really resonates with me. When the demands of university study take over, it was a sobering reminder to pray for thanksgiving,” she said.

Campus Minister, Anthony Crook was pleased with the large turnout. “Cardinal Pell is a great supporter of Notre Dame and his visits provide an opportunity for two-way communication between members of the University community and the Archdiocese of Sydney. We are very grateful that he is able to periodically celebrate Mass with us and for his great support in these early years of establishment of the Sydney Campus,” he said.

Mr Crook continued, “Our hope is that he will be able to continue visiting the Campus, especially as momentum builds in the Notre Dame community for World Youth Day next year.”

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